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The Warrior Princess
|Season = 1 |Antagonist = Xena |Setting = Arcadia |In-Universe Date = Year 0 |Production # = 76608 |Filming Dates = 3 January to 12 January 1995 |Original Air-Date = |Written By = John Schulian |Story By = |Teleplay By = |Directed By = Bruce Seth Green |Order in Series = 9 of 111 |Order in Season = 9 of 13 |Order in Franchise= 14 of 304 |Prev Episode in Series = "The March to Freedom" |Next Episode in Series = "Gladiator" |Prev Episode in Franchise = "The March to Freedom" |Next Episode in Franchise = "Gladiator" |title cap image = }} The "perfect woman" is waiting for Iolaus. Unfortunately, she's an evil, power-hungry warrior princess, who's using him to get Hercules out of the way. Summary This episode opens with what Michael Hurst called a 'homoerotic' scene with both Iolaus and Hercules topless and making a knife in Iolaus' forge. After making the knife, Iolaus tosses it at a former girlfriend's porch and finds out she is now engaged. He is depressed at being without a girlfriend. The beautiful warrior woman Xena is intent on securing complete control of the region of Arcadia. To accomplish her goal, Xena decides that Hercules must die. She poses as a maiden in distress and lures Iolaus away from his best friend. However, we see her injure her own horse before Iolaus even sees her so we know she is not to be trusted. Xena then used all her beauty and charm on Iolaus, preying on his loneliness and his uncertainty at not being as impressive as Hercules. Hercules discovers Xena's true identity when her assassin is sent to kill him. The assassin is also her real boyfriend. He is done in by falling on a pitchfork with unusually bendy tines. After ridding himself of the would be killer, Hercules goes to rescue Iolaus. At first, Iolaus turns on Hercules. Xena has spent considerable time convincing Iolaus that Hercules is selfish and self-centered and wants all the glory, playing to Iolaus' insecurities. But eventually Iolaus realized the truth. He and Hercules fight Xena and her army until Hercules has to pause and rescue Iolaus. Xena departs, vowing a vengeful return. Disclaimer No animals were harmed during the production of this motion picture. (This is a legitimate disclaimer because of the scene of Xena laming her horse.) Gallery File:Warrior_princess_01.jpg|Maybe I Should Slit my Wrists File:Warrior_princess_02.jpg|I Want Hercules Dead File:Warrior_princess_03.jpg|You Never Spoke of Another Man File:Warrior_princess_04.jpg|This is Iolaus File:Warrior_princess_05.jpg|Special Warrior File:Warrior_princess_06.jpg|Xena File:Warrior_princess_07.jpg|The Truth About Xena File:Warrior_princess_08.jpg|I've Ended Our Friendship File:Warrior_princess_09.jpg|Death to Estragon File:Warrior_princess_10.jpg|Hercules Tried to Kill Me File:Warrior_princess_11.jpg|He's Here File:Warrior_princess_12.jpg|This Knife Wasn't Meant to Spill Your Blood File:Warrior_princess_13.jpg|You Haven't Seen the Last of Me! File:Warrior_princess_14.jpg|No Lecture File:Xena_Trilogy_VHS.jpeg|Xena Trilogy VHS Release File:Xena_Trilogy_DVD.jpg|Xena Trilogy DVD Release Background Information * This is the first appearance of Xena, still in her days as an evil warlord. Within the timeline eventually established for the character, this episode is set following her second return to Greece after traveling the world. * The Chakram is introduced. ** The Chakram was thrown once to kill her general. * This is the first of the so-called "Xena trilogy", but contrary to popular belief, the three episodes were not aired back-to-back; fans would later be surprised that two episodes aired between this one and The Gauntlet. * Kevin Sorbo was reportedly displeased with the script, as he thought a woman could never come between Hercules and Iolaus so easily. Michael Hurst also felt it was an unlikely scenario but he says they tried their best. * It was during the sword fight between Hercules and Iolaus that Michael Hurst hit Kevin Sorbo with the flat of the metal swords they used during the early days, knocking him out and leaving him with several stitches to close the wound. * In the scene where Michael Hurst somersaults off the back of the horse, Hurst said he kept getting stuck. He was also not happy having to dive under the horse and was worried he would be kicked. * Michael Hurst said the tepid water in the hot tub scene was disgusting and like sitting in "human soup." * For audiences in the U. S., the top curve of Iolaus' naked backside being revealed was shocking at the time. U.S. Producers complained it was too revealing for U.S. viewers. Most fans loved it. Links and References Guest Stars * Michael Hurst as Iolaus * Lucy Lawless as Xena * Elizabeth Hawthorne as Alcmene Other Cast * Bill Johnson as Petrakis * Michael Dwyer as Theodorus * Patrick Wilson as Estragon * Rebecca Clark as Syreena * Bill Borlase as Villager * Eddie Campbell as Drinker #1 * Danny Lineham as Drinker #2 * Sam Williams as Hercules (stunt double) References * Arcadia * Nemean Lion Season Navigation Category:HTLJ episodes